Tetris Profile
From LoveToKnow VideoGames
Tetris is a simple puzzle game created by Alexey Pajitnov in 1985. It is perhaps one of the best-known and most frequently emulated games of all time. Few puzzle games can claim not to have drawn some sort of inspiration from it's stark simplicity and addictive gameplay. Few gamers can claim they've never played at least one version of the popular game.
What's This Tetris Thing?
Alexey Pajitnov drew inspiration from pentominoes for the foundations of Tetris. The game is quite simple: blocks, called tetrads, fall from the top of the screen and must be arranged by the player. Each block is composed of four bricks to create one of seven shapes that resemble the following letters: I, T, O, L, J, S and Z.
Players can rotate the blocks clockwise or counter-clockwise in an attempt to fit them into the pile below. When a line is completed, those pieces vanish and the bricks sitting above move down. Completing four lines simultaneously (the highest number possible) is usually called a "Tetris".
How Popular Is Tetris?
Tetris has appeared on nearly every video game console and computer system since its release. Tetris has even appeared on the side of a building in the form of lit windows. The most popular version, however, is likely Tetris for the original Game Boy system. Because of it's enormous availability, Tetris is considered the best-selling video game of all time.
The formula is so simple, it begs to be tweaked. Countless programmers, both individuals and companies, have created games remarkably similar to Tetris. Some merely change the pieces' shape and speed, alter the gravity or change the physics. Some borrow heavily from Tetris and create their own puzzle game. Regardless, Tetris is an inspiration to programmers and gamers around the globe.
History of Tetris
Tetris had a rough start. Alexey Pajitnov created Tetris while working for the Academy of Sciences in Moscow, 1985. Vadim Gerasimov ported it to the PC shortly thereafter, igniting the Tetris boom. It spread around Moscow and finally made its way to Budapest, Hungary where programmers ported it to various other platforms.
British software company Andromeda learned of Tetris and attempted to secure publishing rights for the PC version from Pajitnov. Spectrum Holobyte beat them to it, however, and released Tetris on the PC in the United States in 1986. Players loved it; Tetris was an early blockbuster hit.
In 1988, the Soviet government had begun to market the rights to Tetris through a branch called Elektronorgtechnica (Elorg). Many companies claimed to have the right to distribute Tetris at this point, but Elorg maintained that they held the rights. Tetris was signed to Atari Games while Nintendo received the rights for console and handheld distribution.
Despite the massive popularity and stellar sales of Tetris, its creator had seen very little money. In 1996, Pajitnov formed The Tetris Company LLC in an attempt to get royalties from his Tetris brand. TTC has had good success with console and handheld versions of the game but is still struggling with the PC front.
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